It's Never Failed Before
}} As the group approaches the banquet hall of the temple of Odin, Belkar wrestles with his feelings on Durkon, in particular his self-sacrifice which saved Belkar but lead to his own undeath as a vampire. Cast * The Order of the Stick ** Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶ ** Elan ◀ ▶ ** Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶ ** Vaarsuvius ◀ ▶ * Mr. Scruffy ◀ ▶ * Hilgya Firehelm ◀ ▶ * Minrah Shaleshoe ◀ ▶ * Kudzu ◀ ▶ Transcript Belkar: Are we there yet? I want to chop some vampire heads off already. Minrah: Oh right, that's one of the ways to kill them for good, right? Then you fill their mouths with holy wafers. Belkar: Is it? More of an all-purpose thing for me. Minrah: Anyway, it's just a little further down this hallway. Belkar: Good. Belkar: Good, I'm glad. beat Minrah: Hey, so, this isn't the part of being a cleric I'm normally good at, but...this seems a little bit personal for you. Belkar: Of course it's personal! That thing drank all my blood and threw me out of a window! Belkar: Not at the same time but still! Minrah: Oh! That makes sense. I thought it was that you were worried about your friend. Belkar: What? No! He's more of a co-worker anyway. Belkar: Stupid hairy self-sacrificing co-worker. Belkar: I mean, if I was worried about him—which I'm not—it would be a total waste of energy, right? Belkar: It's not like he gives a damn about me, specifically. He just cares about everyone! Belkar: Screw him and the general empathy for other people he rode in on! Belkar: See, I'm the smart one. I don't have to worry about that. Belkar: I can just murder anyone I don't like and never stress out about protecting anyone— Belkar: —or pikcing an unwinnable fight with a super-powered vampire cleric to distract him from killing my helpless idiot teammate who's never been anything but a jackass to me. Minrah: Um...right. Minrah: OK. Belkar: Because martyrdom is a total chump move, let me tell you. He's out there being dead and I'm right here being alive, so how'd that work out for him, huh? Belkar: Not that great is how. Not a top result. Minrah: Well, we're here. It's right down this passage. Belkar: And who the hell puts someone else in that position anyway? Belkar: Who ever taught him that was a good idea?!? Minrah: I can see you have complex feelings about your co-worker, but we should— Belkar: No I don't!! And if I stab something in the face enough times, they'll go away!! Trivia * The strips's title refers to Belkar's claim in the final panel that his so-called complex feelings would go away after stabbing someone enough times. * In panel 4, Belkar refers to when "Durkon" fed on his his blood in "Running On Empty", and when the vampire threw him out of a window at the Godsmoot in "Silencing Descent". * In panel 8, Belkar is referring to the events of comic #871 from the point of view of Durkon. Durkon's intervention with Malack saved Belkar but cost him his own life. Belkar's ability to appreciate Durkon's self-sacrifice shows considerable character growth which can perhaps be traced back to Belkar's fever dreams in #606, "The Philosophy of Chaos". * Some have suggested that Belkar's comments on martyrdom and self-sacrifice foreshadow his impending demise as prophesied by the Oracle. * Like in 1112, the sign by the entrance is written using Dwarf Spirits BB font and says “banquet hall”. External Links * 1115}} View the comic * 554663}} View the discussion thread